LECOM School of Pharmacy FAQ

• The Erie, PA campus offers an innovative, year-round, three-year pathway. Students at the Erie campus attend classes throughout the entire year, including summer sessions, with approximately 1-2 weeks off between each term. This accelerated schedule ensures a focused and continuous learning experience.
• At the Bradenton, FL campus, students follow a four-year program with a summer break. However, some experiential rotations are scheduled during the summer, specifically after the P1 and P3 years, providing students with hands-on learning opportunities during these breaks.
• The Distance Education pathway is a 4-year program that combines the convenience of online learning with the benefits of in-person interactions to ensure students receive a comprehensive and hands-on education. In the Distance Education pathway, students complete the majority of their coursework online, offering flexibility while still receiving a robust education. Each summer, students attend the Erie or Bradenton campus for laboratory sessions, professional development activities, group projects, discussions, and graduation events. While most coursework is conducted remotely, students are expected to be available during designated hours for exams and to engage in synchronous learning sessions with faculty and peers.

Please review the LECOM School of Pharmacy Entrance Requirements to see the admissions requirements.

The LECOM School of Pharmacy offers Early Acceptance Programs (EAP) through affiliation agreements with various institutions, allowing qualified undergraduate students to complete their Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree in as little as five years. The number of years (2, 3, or 4) required for undergraduate study depends on the specific affiliate institution.

Under this program, students complete a tailored pre-pharmacy curriculum at their undergraduate institution to fulfill the necessary pre-requisite coursework for admission to the professional component of the Pharm.D. program. LECOM reserves a seat in the School of Pharmacy for all students enrolled in the program who meet the requirements for acceptance.

For more information about the affiliation programs, please click the link above or contact the pre-health advisor at one of the affiliated institutions.

Applicants must electronically submit to PharmCAS by midnight on June 1 of the application year. The two letters of recommendation (one letter must be from a science professor and other letter can be from anyone else except a friend, family member, or co-worker. A letter of recommendation from a pharmacist is recommended), and college transcripts must be submitted by June 1 of the application year by midnight in order for PharmCAS to deliver this information to LECOM.

No.

All applicants are required to fill out a PharmCAS application..

Eligible candidates are invited to interview. All pre-requisite coursework must be completed by July 1^st for the application cycle. Students can e-mail the Admissions Office of any changes or updates to their file at pharmacy@lecom.edu (Accelerated program in Erie, PA and Distance Education Program) or pharmacyfla@lecom.edu  (4-year program in Bradenton, FL).

You may submit a PharmCAS application for any LECOM School of Pharmacy pathway. If you apply to (and are accepted to) multiple pathways, you may only submit a deposit for one pathway. Once you have submitted a deposit, your application will be withdrawn from the other LECOM School of Pharmacy pathways.

All pre-requisite coursework must be completed by July 1^st of the application cycle. We will not accept any classes after the deadline.

PharmCAS charges a fee to students using their application service. This fee is incurred by the student.

It is suggested that LECOM applicants have a minimum 2.7 overall GPA as calculated by PharmCAS.  LECOM looks at the PharmCAS overall GPA, which also includes repeated coursework, not the breakdown of the GPA by institution.

Advancement placement credits will only be accepted for pre-requisite coursework with a score of “3” or higher.  International baccalaureate credits from a U.S. high school will be accepted for pre-requisite coursework with a score of “4” or higher.

No, LECOM does not accept CLEP credits.

Students with F-1 Visas are eligible to apply to LECOM’s School of Pharmacy.  Visit our Entrance Requirements page to see the specific admissions requirements for international students.

LECOM does not accept credits from international institutions. All coursework must be completed in the United States from an accredited college/university in the United States.

All prerequisite coursework must be completed in the United States.

Yes, applicants being considered for admission will be invited for an on-site or virtual interview on a rolling basis between September and May. Applicants are notified in advance via e-mail of their interview date.

LECOM School of Pharmacy requires two letters of recommendation. One of the letters must be from a science professor. The other letter can be from anyone else except a friend, family member or co-worker. A letter of recommendation from a pharmacist is recommended. All letters of recommendation are submitted through PharmCAS. PharmCAS allows students to submit up to four letters of recommendation. PharmCAS will send the letters to the schools you apply to once they receive them from your recommender.

Experience working in a pharmacy practice environment is not required; however, it can be a valuable asset in determining the appropriateness of the career path. Prospective Pharm. D. students are encouraged to learn more about the profession by talking with pharmacists and finding varied shadowing or volunteer experiences that will provide insight into what pharmacists do, the various settings in which pharmacists work, and how pharmacists interact with patients and health care professionals.

No. All transcripts should be sent directly to PharmCAS. If you are accepted into the Pharmacy Program, then you will be required to send LECOM an official transcript from each school you have attended.

No, LECOM does not need nor look at high school transcripts or SAT scores.

The admissions committee will start to meet in September and continue meeting through May to make decisions on files. LECOM makes decisions on a rolling basis. All admissions decisions will be sent via U.S. mail. LECOM cannot release any information on your file by phone or e-mail.

LECOM SOP is looking for students with a demonstrated ability to succeed academically in the program. Accepted students also have good communication skills, both oral and written, a desire for a career in health care and excellent people skills. We are looking for students who have a desire for a career in pharmacy and have knowledge of the profession.

The rolling admissions process offers students the opportunity to secure their spot in the LECOM School of Pharmacy as early as October.  To address the competitive nature of applying to the pharmacy school by providing students with three separate options to pursue their Doctor of Pharmacy goals: the 4-year Florida pathway, the 3-year Accelerated pathway, and the Distance Education pathway.

The LECOM School of Pharmacy does not require a specific overall minimum GPA, however it is highly preferred that students carry a 2.7 GPA or higher throughout their pre-professional coursework.

Yes, approximately 50% of our current student population comes from out of state. As a private institution, LECOM is able to broaden our  applicant pool nationwide, rather than limiting it to Florida and Pennsylvania. However, please note that there are some  limitations within the Distance Education Program due to state authorization requirements. For specific information, feel free to contact us at  Pharmacy@lecom.edu.

Each December, you can log into your PharmCAS account to submit your fall transcripts and update your application. Once PharmCAS verifies the updates, they will send the revised information to LECOM. It is essential for all applicants to complete an academic update to ensure that the admissions office receives the most current and accurate file.

In December, you can log into your PharmCAS account and update your coursework. PharmCAS has a “Planned Section”  where  you can  add any the courses you plan to take in the upcoming semester. Once updated, PharmCAS will send these revisions to the schools you’ve applied to.

No, all coursework must be completed at an accredited undergraduate institution by July 1 prior to matriculation. LECOM is a graduate-level institution and  offers only the professional pharmacy program. All required coursework must be completed at an accredited college or university in the United States.

Yes! LECOM Medical Center and Behavioral Health Pavilion , an affiliate of LECOM Health, offers three PGY1 Pharmacy Residency positions, along with  a PGY2 Pharmacy Residency specializing in geriatrics.  Additonally,  LECOM offers Master of Science degree programs in Biomedical Ethics, Medical Education, Public Health, Medical Cannabinoid Therapeutics, and Health Services Administration.

Approximately 15-20% of our graduates continue on to a residency and about 50% work in a community setting.

The LECOM School of Pharmacy offers both the Health Sciences Post-Baccalaureate program and the Pre-Pharm. D. Enrichment Program (PEP) to help strengthen your application.

Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences for the Accelerated pathway are available within a 250-mile radius of the Erie campus.  Students can fulfill their experiential education requirements at major cities like Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Detroit, as well as other locations across various communities.  Florida-based students can complete their experiential rotations anywhere within the state of Florida. Additionally,  Distance Education students have the flexibility to complete their rotations wherever they reside.

Students in the Distance Education pathway complete a majority of their coursework virtually.  Each summer, they attend  one of the campuses  for 1-3 weeks to participate in orientation, laboratory sessions, professional development, group projects, discussions, and graduation activities.  Students must be available during designated hours  to take exams and engage  in live, synchronous learning sessions with faculty and peers.  Lectures are delivered through narrated Power Points, and video conferencing may be used to record guest speakers and panel discussions.    Exams are proctored live using testing software and web cameras.

LECOM School of Pharmacy will be holding Open Houses for prospective students in June and November, offering the opportunity to tour the campuses.  For more details, please visit our Open House page.  If you would prefer to schedule an individual tour, you can also contact our Erie and Distance Education admissions office at pharmacy@lecom.edu or our Florida admissions office at pharmacyfla@lecom.edu to arrange a convenient time to visit.

Once a student’s application is processed, LECOM automatically sends an e-mail with a username and password, granting access to the LECOM Application Portal  This secure site is exclusively available to LECOM students, faculty and staff. After the admissions office processes the application, the applicant will receive an e-mail them that their application has been processed and they can visit the portal to view any missing requirements. The portal also provides applicants with the ability to monitor their  application status throughout the process.

The LECOM School of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). If you have additional questions, please visit their website at www.acpe-accredit.org/

If you are having problems, please e-mail our IT department at: issupport@lecom.edu. They will be able to assist you with any technical problems you are having.